Electric controller



C. E. OGDEN.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION men 050.26, 1918 1 ,41O Q73, I Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

1 a f o a 2 3 Jim.

Mffarney ;To all whom it may concern:

My invention relates to PATENT OFFICEQIIIVT CLARENCE n. oenmr, orCINCINNATI, 01:10.

Be it known that I, CLAmNon E, OGDEN, a citizenofthe United States, anda resident of Cincinnati, county of 'Hamilton, and State of Ohio, haveinventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Controllers, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, 'and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisSpecification. p j electric controllers and has'particular reference tothe type'of controllers used on commercial trucks, electric locomotivesand similar devices.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide in anelectric controller of the character mentioned improved means forautomatically disconnecting the current upon the happening of apredetermined contingency. Controllers of the type mentioned areordinarily provided with an elec tric switch operable by a pedal on thetruck or other vehicle, the current remaining connected during thedepression of the pedal by the operator, and being automaticallydisconnected upon the removal of the foot of the operator from thepedal. In such switches, as have heretoforebeen provided in devices ofthis character, the opening of the switch upon the removal of pressurefrom the pedal is gradual, and thus produces arcing between thecontacts, which soon results'in serious damage to the switch andcontroller. In order to prevent such arcing it is necessary that'thedisconnection of the switch contacts be instantaneous, andthe presentinvention is, therefore, directed to theprovision of a switch inconnection with a controller ofthe type mentioned, in which, by meansof'the improved construction, the breaking of the c'ircuitisinstantaneous, thus resulting in the "elimination of the danger abovementioned' A further obj ect'of my invention is to preventre-engagementof the automatic switch contacts until thecontrollercontacts..have' been returned to neutral position. In controllers of the class referred to the disconnection of the automaticswitch does not disconnect the controller contacts,and there is'thusdanger when the switch is again turned on of overloading the motor byreason of the controller contacts having been left in advanced position.In order to obviate this danger thepresent invention provides means forautomatically locking the switch ELECTRIC con rnorrnn.

. Specification bf Ibetters Patent. iPafented M 21. 1922 Applicationfiledbecember 26,1915; :Se ria1'No.2'68,3O4.f v

has been turned to its neutral position.

{Further objects of this invention will appear from the. followingdetailed descrlption thereof.

In the drawings Figure 1 isan elevation of a controller,

and pedal mechanism for operating the inso e positionuntil thecontroller drum the interior Figure 5 is a perspective view of theswitch.

- Figure 6 v is a sectional view of the invent1on.

The numerall indicates the casingof a controller of the type mentioned,the "same being provided with a bearing forthe shaft 2 upon which theusual drum contacts 3 are mounted, the same being arranged'to engagefingers 4" mounted in the casing, in accordance with the customaryconstruction. The outer end of the shaft'2 is provided with the usualoperating lever 5. The'casing 1 is furthermore provided with a bearingfor a sleeve'fi, in alignment. with the shaft 2. The inner end of thesleeve '6 provides a bearing for the end of the shaft 2, as clearlyshown m'Figure 6 of the drawings.

Rotatabl-y mounted onthe shaft is a plate 7, the end of the shaft 2beyond'tlie drum contacts 3 being, of course, cylindrically shaped forthe purpose. Secured to theplate 7 by means of bolts 8, or otherwise, isa metal switch plate 9, having contacts 10. The plate 9 is insulatedfrom the plate .7 by means of a fiber washer r11 interposed between thetwo plates. Rigidly secured to the shaft 2 between the drum and switchplate?) is a'cam plate 12. A fiber insulating plate 18, secured by meansof the bolts 8 to the plate '7, is interposed betweenthe cam plate 12andthe switch plate 9, as shown. The casing is provided with contactfingers 14 for engagement with the plates 10, the fingers 14 beingconnected in series with the fingers 4.

Secured to the sleeve 6 adjacent the plate 7 is a collar 15, providedwith an arm 16. Integrally formed on plate 7 is an arm 17. The arms 16and 17 are provided with pins 18, to which are secured the ends of acoil spring 19. The plate 7 is also provided with lugs 20 and 21,between which the arm 16 on the sleeve 6 is arranged to operate, thesaid arm being adapted to engage one or the other of said lugs duringits respective movements, as hereinafter set forth. The plate 7 is,furthermore, provided with peripheral extensions 22 and 23 respectivelyand a notch 24 adjacent the extension 22. A shallow notch 25 is formedin the periphery of the plate 7 in front of the extension 23. The fiberdisks 11 and 13 are notched out as shown at 26 in alignment with thenotch 24: in the plate 7. Pivotally mounted on the inside of the endwall of the casing is an arm 27 provided with a finger 28. A tensionspring 29, secured to the arm 27 and the casing, causes the finger 28 tobear upon the eriphery of the plate 7 and to engage either in the slotformed by the notches 24: and 26 in the plate 7 and insulating disksrespectively, or in the shallow notch 25 in the pe riphery of the plate,for the purpose l1B1'e1Ilafter set forth.

Secured to the outer end of the sleeve 6 is a lever 30, the free end ofwhich is connected by means of a link 31 with the operating pedal 32 onthe truck floor. A compression spring 33 normally keeps the pedal 32 inraised position and the switch plates 10 disconnected.

The cam plate 12 is so mounted on the shaft 2 that the cam surface 34 ofsaid plate lifts the finger 28 to prevent its engagement in the slotformed by the notches 24 and 26 when the drumcontacts 3 are in neutralor off position.

The operation of the device is as follows: The drum contacts being inneutral position the cam surface 34 maintains the finger 28, against thetension of spring 29, out of engagement with the notches 24 and 26, andthe plate 7, with the switch plate 9, is thus free to rotate upon theshaft 2. WVhen the operator depresses the pedal 32 the sleeve 6 isrotated on the shaft 2 by means of the link 31 and lever 30 connectedwith said sleeve. The sleeve 6 in rotating carries with it the arm 16which, during rotation, engages the lug 20 on the plate 7 causing italso to rotate and to bring the contact plates 10 into engagement withthe fingers 14. The automatic switch is now in on position, and thecontroller contacts 3 may be operated in the usual manner. In thisposition, furthermore, the contacts are frictionally main tained byreason of the engagement of the finger 28 in the shallow notch 25 in theperipheryof the plate 7. When for any reason the operators foot isremoved from the pedal, the spring 33 raises the same rotating thesleeve 6 and arm 16 in the opposite direction. The arm 16 during suchrotation engages the lug 21 and causes the plate 7 to rotate slightlycausing the finger 28 to be lifted from the shallow notch 25. During therotation of the arm 16, the spring 19, it will be understood, has beenplaced under tension, and as soon, therefore, as the finger 28 isremoved from the shallow notch 25, the spring 19 causes the plate 7 andconnected contacts 10 to snap instantaneously to off position. hen insuch position the finger 28, actuated by the tension of spring 29, fallsinto notch 24: if the controller is in other than neutral position, andthe plate 7 and connected contacts are thus locked in their offposition. When so locked the switch cannot be again operated until thecontroller contacts are brought into neutral position, causing the camsurface 34: to lift the finger 28 and release the switch contacts.

It will be seen that by the provision of the mechanism above described,the controller switch is automatically and instantaneously disconnectedupon the removal of the foot of the operator from the pedal, thusobviating the possibility of injury by reason of arcing between theswitch contacts. It will also be seen that by such a construction theswitch contacts cannot be rotated to their on position until thecontroller contacts are brought to the neutral point.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by 100 Letters Patent is 1. In an electric controller, havinga shaft and controller contacts mounted thereon, a switch comprising aswitch plate rotatably mounted 011 said shaft, means operatively 10$disconnected from said shaft for rotating said plate on said shaft intoits on position, means for holding said plate in said position, meansfor placing said plate under tension when in said on position, and 110means for releasing said plate when under tension, whereby the same maybe snapped into off position.

2. In an electric controller having a shaft and controller contactsmounted thereon, a 115 switch comprising a switch plate rotatablymounted on said shaft, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaft, meanswhereby during the rotation of said arm said plate is rotated to its onposition, means for fric- 120 tionally holding said plate in saidposition, means for placing said plate under tension during the reversemovement of said arm, means whereby during such reverse movement saidarm is caused to release said fric- 125 tional holding means to permitsaid plate to be snapped into off position.

3. In an electric controller having a shaft and controller contactsmounted thereon, a switch comprising a switch plate rotatably 130mounted on said shaft, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaft, meanswhereby dur ing the rotation of said arm said plate is means for placingsaid plate'under tension during the reverse movement of said arm,

means whereby during suchreverse movement said arm is caused "to releasesaid frictional holding means to permit saidplate to be snapped into offposltion, and means for locking said plate into off position when thecontroller shaft is in position to place any of'th'e comtroller contactsin their on position; I

4. In an electric controller having a shaft and controller contactsmounted thereon, a switch comprising a switch plate rotatably mountedonsaid shaft, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaft, meansWherebyduring therotation ofsaid-arm said plate isrotated to its on position,means for fric tionally holding said'plate in said-position, means forplacing said plate under tension during the reverse movement of saidarm, means whereby during such reverse movement'saida-rm is-cause'd torelease said frice tional holding means topermit said plate to besnapped into off. position, means for locking said plate/into offposition when the controller shaft is in position to place any of the.controller contacts in their on position, and means for unlocking saidplate by the return of said controller contacts to neutral position.

5. In an electric controller having a shaft and controller contactsmounted thereon, a switch comprising a switch plate rotatably mounted onsaid shaft, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaft, means whereby duringthe rotation of said arm said plate is rotated to its on position, meansfor frictionally holding said plate in said position, means for placingsaid plate under tension during the reverse movement of said arm, meanswhereby during such reverse movement said arm is caused to release saidfrictional holding means to permit said plate to be snapped into offposition, a pedal, means for operating said arm upon the depression ofsaid pedal to move said plate to on position, and means forautomatically raising said pedal when released to reverse the operationof said arm and plate.

6. In an electric controller having a shaft and controller contactsmounted thereon, a switch comprising a plate rotatably mounted on saidshaft, a switch plate secured to said plate and insulated therefrom, alug on said plate, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaft and arrangedto engage said lug to rotate said switch plate to its on position, meansfor frictionally holding said switch plate in said position, means forplacing said'plate under tension during the reverse movement ofsaidarm,a second lug on said plate arranged to be engaged by said arm duringsuch reverse movement to rotate said plate slightly to release suchfrictional holding means to permit said plate to be snapped into' offposition. a Y

'7. In anelectric controller having a-shaft and controllercontacts-mounted thereon, a switch comprising a plate rotatably mount edon said shaft, a switchplate securedto' said plate and insulatedtherefrom, alug on said plate, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaftand arranged to engage said lug to rotate said'switch plate to its onposition, means for placing said plate under tension during the reversemovement of'said arm, a-second lug on said plate arranged to be engagedby said arm during such reverse movement to rotatesaid plate slightly torelease such frictional holding means to per mit said plate to besnapped into off position, and means for locking said plate in offposition when the controller shaft is in position to place any of thecontroller contacts in their on? position.-

8, In an electric controller having a shaft and controller contactsmounted'thereon, a switch comprising a plate rotatably mounted on saidshaft, a switch platesecuredto said plate and insulated therefrom, a lugon said plate, an armrotatably mounted on said shaft and arranged toengage said lug to rotate said switch plate to its on position, meansfor frictionally holding said switch plate in said position, means forplacing said plate under tension during the reverse movement of saidarm, a second lug on said plate arranged to be engaged by said armduring such reverse movement to rotate said plate slightly to releasesuch frictional holding means to permit said plate to be snapped intooff position, means for locking said plate into off position when thecontroller shaft isin position to place .any of the controller contactsin their on position and means for unlocking-said plate 7 by the returnof said controller contacts to neutral position.

9. In an electric controller having a shaft and controller contactsmounted thereon, a

switch eomprising a plate rotatably mounted on said shaft, a switchplate secured to said plate and insulated therefrom, a lug on saidplate, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaft and arranged to engagesaid lug to rotate said switch plate'to its on position, means forfrictionally holding said switch plate in said position, means forplacing said plate under tension during the reverse movement of saidarm, a second lug on said plate arranged to be engaged by said armduring such reverse movement to rotate saidplate slightly to releasesuch frictional holding means to permit said plate to be snapped intooff position, pedal,

means for operating said arm upon the depression of said pedal to movesaid plate to on position, and means for automatically raising saidpedal when released to reverse the operation of said arm and plate.

10. In an electric controller having a shaft and controller contactsmounted thereon, a switchcomprising a switch plate rotatably mounted onsaid shaft, an arm rotatably mounted on said shaft, means whereby duringthe rotation of said arm said plate is rotated to its on position, meansfor frictionally holding said plate in said position, means for placingsaid plate under tension during the reverse movement of said arm, meanswhereby during each reverse movement said arm is caused to release saidfrictional holding means to permit said plate to be snapped into offposition, means for locking said plate into off position when thecontroller shaft is in position to' place any of the controller contactsin their on position, means for unlocking said plate by the return ofsaid controller contacts to neutral position, a pedal, means foroperating said arm upon the depression of said pedal to move said plateto on position, and means for automatically raising said pedal whenreleased to reverse the operation of said arm and plate.

on said plate arranged to be engaged by said arm during such reversemovement to rotate said plate slightly to release such frictionalholding means to permit said plate to be snapped into off position,means for locking said plate into off position when the controller shaftis in position to place any of the controller contacts in their onposition, means for unlocking said plate by the return of saidcontroller contacts to neutral position, a pedal, means for operatingsaid arm upon the depression of said pedal to move said plate to onposition,

and means for automatically raising said pedal when released to reversethe operation of said arm and plate.

CLARENCE E. OGDEN,

